Agape
noun /ˈæɡəpeɪ/ — Unconditional love — given freely, without expectation of return.
Definition
The highest form of love in classical Greek philosophy — unconditional, selfless, universal love that gives without expectation of return. Not romantic, not familial, but something closer to grace.
Beyond the definition
Agape is what you feel when you love someone without needing them to be a certain way. It's the love that doesn't negotiate. Not passion, not attachment, not need — something cleaner and more difficult than all of those.
Origin & history
From Ancient Greek ἀγάπη (agape) — love, affection. Used extensively in early Christian writings to describe divine love and the ideal of loving one's neighbour. Distinct from eros (romantic love) and philia (friendship).
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
What she felt for her child was agape — unconditional, undiscriminating, vast.
Agape is the love that doesn't require the other person to deserve it.
He didn't understand agape until he stopped keeping score.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Agape” when the meaning fits your context: The highest form of love in classical Greek philosophy — unconditional, selfless, universal love that gives without expectation of return. Not romantic, not familial, but something closer to grace.
Synonyms
unconditional love, selfless love, grace, charity, compassion
Antonyms
conditional love, transactional affection, attachment
Related words
Word in the Wild
Illustrative story: an imagined scene, not a documented event or interview.
She had not chosen to love him — the love had arrived before she could evaluate it. Not romantic love: something quieter and more absolute. A love for a stranger she'd watched struggle with something difficult in a public place, that had arrived without invitation and without logic.
This is the love the ancient Greeks took most seriously. Not eros, not philia — but agape: the unconditional kind, the one that asks nothing, the love that is less a feeling than a posture toward the whole world.
Some people are capable of it, and you feel it when you're near them. They are interested in you without needing anything from you. It is one of the rarest qualities a person can possess.
Questions about this word
What does "Agape" mean?
Agape is noun meaning: Unconditional love — given freely, without expectation of return.. The highest form of love in classical Greek philosophy — unconditional, selfless, universal love that gives without expectation of return. Not romantic, not familial, but something closer to grace.
Which words express “the opposite of loneliness”?
Agape — Unconditional love — given freely, without expectation of return.
Where does the word "Agape" come from?
From Ancient Greek ἀγάπη (agape) — love, affection. Used extensively in early Christian writings to describe divine love and the ideal of loving one's neighbour. Distinct from eros (romantic love) and philia (friendship).